Improvement in stop-boxes foe cooks os valves of watee and gas-pipes



i Qi-Suiten tutrs' gairnt @fge JAMES SMITII, or ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

Letters Patent No. 80,776, dated August 4, 1868.

i IMPBOVVEMENTAIN STOP-BOXES POR SOCKS-0R VALVES 0I' WATER AND GAS-PIPES.

:ro ALL WIIOM I'r MAY coNcEnN;

Be' it known that I-, JAMESSMITII, of thc city of St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis, and. State of'K Missouri, have made certain new and usef'ul Improvements in Stop-Boites for Cocks or Valves of Water or Gas- Pipes; and I .do hereby declare that the following is a full and clear description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, andto the letters oi' reference marked thereon. i A

The nature of this invention is in arranging the stop-box in two parts, so adjustable Yas to height that the stop-box lid or cover may be always on alevel or flush with the surface of the ground Vwherein the stop-box is set. v I i It is well kno-wn that, in order te make the cocks or valves ofthe usual gas or water-pipes accessible, the said cocks or valves are surrounded by so-called stop-boxes, which give acccss'from the upper surface of the ground to the usually deeply-seated stop-cock or valve. Now, as the level of the ground orpavemcnt, or other` contiguous surface, is changed by settling or regrading,.or other accidental or purposcd causes, the upper edge of the stop-box, to'oii'e'r no obstruction to travel, should be suitably adjusted to all changes ofA level of the contiguous surface, and this to accomplish, is the purpose of my said invention. Y

The nature of said invention is,'secondly, in so connecting the parts that they may be readily adjusted, opened, and operated by proper keys or other devices, but that said parts will be well secured against malicious or careless obstructions, destruction, or intrusion.`

To enable those skilled herein to make and use my said invention, I will now fully describe the same,4

referring to the accompanying- Figure 1 as an elevation,

Figure 2 as a vertical sectional elevation,

Figure 341s a top plan of cover,

Figure 4 as a top plan of the sliding tube, and

Figure 5 as avcrtical sectionalclevation hereof, at the line :I: y of iig. 4, and

Figure 6 as a sectional elevation, on the line'u e' of iig. 3,'oi' the cover or lid.

I construct my said stop-box of the usual' materials, such as cast iron. i l

A is the exterior cylinder or housing, having a bottom flange and ribs, to better secure the same 1n thc subsoil. The lo'wer end of said housing A is placed over or straddlingv the gas or water-pipe, in the usual manner, leaving the stop-ccck stein or valve-stem accessible to an operator using a key, passing down through the Iinterior of said housing, generally in the usual manner. Y

At-the upper vend of said housing is the clap a, which fits about the inner sliding tube B, hereinafter mentioncd. Said cap has a depending flange surrounding the upper part of the housing A, and said cap is secured by a projecting'pin, a, which is in the slot a2 ot' said flange of the cap a.

'l'lie cap a being placed on the end of thc housing, the pin al enters the vert-ical shank of the slot a2, then, by turning said cap, the pin secures thccap, by entering into the horizontal portion of the slot.

Within said housing, A, I arrange the adjustable tube B, in order to adjust thc height hereof with respect to the housing A, and nlso-with regard to the surface ol` the contiguous ground.

I arrange the screw-threads I; on the outer surface oi' said tube B, and, to act hercon, .I placethe pin a3 on the inner surface of the. housing A. When, therefore, the tuhe B is turned, the pin a3, acting upon the screwthreads b, will cause the said tube to'rise from or lower in the said housing.

lhe cap a guides the tube ll in its vertical motion, and prevents the said tube from lifting out, owing to the screw-threads I1 passing under the horizontal flange of said cap a.

At the upper end or said sliding tube B, I arrange the lid or cover, C.

In thc upper surface of said cover are the indentations or mortiscs c, wherein a key (of` the common formv for operating the stem of a valve or stop-cock) may be placed and used to turn said lid C, or eventually the entire tube B.

On the lower surface of said lidrC, I arrange the spring-plate c, which 'extends beyond the lower surface of the lid, and enters the notches or passage bl, in the upper edge of the tube B, (see fig. 4;) thereupon, the lid C being turned, the spring el, by its edges, enters under the projections b2 of the tube B, indicated in iig. 5. Said projections have their lower surface inclined so that the spring e will be pressed down, and thus the cap pressed down and held firmly on the'upper edge of the tube B. l

When the cap has been turned nearly a half revolution, the edge ofthe spring cl strikes the detent b3 of the projection b2, thus preventing the cap C from turning any'iurtherI in said direction without turningthe tube B also.

If the tube B needs adjustment as to level, after lthe lid C has been secured, as aforesaid, the operator will continue to turn the lid Gatter it has been secured to the tube B, and thus caused the tube to turn, when, by the action ofthe pin a3 on the screw-threads b, the tube will be raised or lowered. j Thus said parts are held secure against injury or theft, being operated with proper success only by the keys or other operating-devices usually possessed by operators specially charged with the supervision, construction, or repair of these and similar devices.

Instead ofa screw-thread, operated as described, to adjust the box, consecutive rings, Figure 7, may be used, which must necessarily be slotted, or so arranged as to permit them to pass the projection when the pipe is elevated or depressed. When the-proper point is reached, a slight turn et' the pipe causes the projection .to

pass in between the rings, and the whole is securely held.

Of course, if desired, the relative location of the screw-threads or rings and the projection may be changed, and the latter be Aput upon the inner pipe, andthe former upon the outer.

' Other similar changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, is- 1. An extensible stop-box, constructed of the two parts A a'nd B, and se arranged as to permit adjustment by means of screw-threads or rings, substantially as herein described. v

2. In combination with the above, the caps a' and C, when constructed and applied as and'for the purpose described. I i

JAMES SMITH. Witnesses: w

Grao. P. HERTHEL, Jrl M. RANDLPH.4 

